Misty couldn’t deny the perks of having a pocket sized boyfriend. There was no chance of him ever leaving her, not that she didn’t trust Ash, she did! But there were people like Sabrina and Daisy who might try to steal him away from her. They’d never be separated and she’d never have to pick up a phone, she’d just need to pick him up. Ash hadn’t changed since shrinking so he still had his personality, he still had the same energy he had when he was full sized, and Misty knew he could send chills through her just by touching her skin. Having a miniature boyfriend was just fine with Misty. Others might look at Ash and see little more than a mouthful but Misty saw her knight in shining armor. She thought back over the past few months and she knew they’d been some of her favorites. Misty loved following Ash, hunting new pokemon and battling gym leaders in foreign lands. But, even more than that, she enjoyed having her pocket sized friend lie out on her tummy while they tanned and sipped virgin pina coladas by the beach. Being with Ash was great because he’d been her best friend and when she was with him everything was a blast…. as long as team rocket wasn’t around. But being with her best friend AND getting to decide every little thing they did…… that was a dream come true! They had plans to hunt down rare legendary water pokemon, and Misty had inherited all of Ash’s many badges!

All this was great but…. Misty knew Ash was a little sad. She hoped he loved being with her as much as she loved being with him, but she couldn’t deny that Ash would be happier full size. A lot of things would change. He’d be able to leave her though Misty knew he never would. He might travel alone now and then, not in grabbing distance like when he used to sit on her shoulder or head. He would almost definitely ask for his pokemon back from Casey and try to become a pokemon master again. She couldn’t even play any pranks on him anymore. Such as slipping a bare foot into the tennis shoe Ash was sleeping in and wiggling her toes, or pretending to sit on him by accident at a restaurant, she wouldn’t even be able to pretend she planned to eat him anymore. Sure, Misty might be able to fit as much as Ash’s entire head in her mouth if he became normal sized but it was a lot more fun when he was bite sized. All these things were deterrents but not of them amounted to anything in the end, because the one thing Misty really wanted was to see her boyfriend happy. And if that meant returning him to his full size, so be it. If that meant giving up her favorite food, so be it.

All these thoughts passed through Misty’s brain in the course of a few seconds, “Of course we’ll pick it up, no problem!”

Casey cursed, Brad gave a whoop of joy, “I’m going to be normal again.”

Prof Oak was a decent distance away from the shrinkee yet he was somehow able to hear his words. Prof Oak turned to him; the look he gave Brad shattered his good mood instantly. Brad smiled back feebly, not wanting to believe the bad news he was sure to recieve, but the Professor didn’t return his smile. He just shook his head sadly. “I’m afraid we’ve never tested on humans, and we estimate the change will only be for a few minutes. As we advance the technology we’ll probably be able to develop a permanent solution…… But shrinkees are now a valued commodity, and operating even the current technology we have now is very expensive. Only those with deep pockets could receive the treatment, that’s IF we ever developed the technology.

“My family disowned me… I don’t have a cent to my name.”

“As I thought. I’m sorry but there is no hope for someone like you.”

“But this kid, he’s got money?” Brad asked, confused and angry.

“No but I’ve known him since he was a boy and his mother and I are very close. Being the developer of the technology I feel I’m within my rights to….. give a couple of freebies.”

This was great news for Casey and Misty, their favorite food wouldn’t be going off the market anytime soon.

“This won’t be a cure for all but it will be necessary to help preserve society as we know it. The shrinkings far outnumber births on a daily basis and men shrink in disproportionate numbers compared to women. We aren’t going to stop the shrinking process as we know it, only slow it down.”

The gang decided to spend one more night at Ash’s house before setting off for Hoenn. Delia decided to celebrate with a little tequila at dinner. She even let Misty have a little sip. Though being drunk can sometimes bring out the worst in people Delia was the happy kind of drunk. After becoming inebriated she only chastised Misty once for occasionally carrying Ash around naked, and then she started treating Misty like a well liked daughter in law. Misty loved being fully accepted by Ash’s mom, even if alcohol helped fuel it. Soon enough it was time to turn in and get a good nights rest for the following day’s big journey. Too tipsy to clean up Delia decided to turn in for the night with plates still out and an overturned bottle lying in the center of the table. Brad convinced Casey to let him stay downstairs and pick at the food a bit more while she brushed her teeth.

Ash and Misty disappeared into Ash’s old bedroom. Casey could only assume another night of fun would ensue. She didn’t know Misty had called things off for a while do to Ash’s bruises. Casey had her toy; all that was left was collecting Brad and finding a place for him to sleep. Casey didn’t have the heart to let Brad sleep on a hard wooden surface again. He could sleep in bed with her, on a pillow or in her belly button. She wasn’t paranoid of rolling over in her sleep like Misty was, ugh, she was much too over protective of Ash. The only thing that Casey was nervous about would be Brad’s reaction to her ramming a shrinkee into her twat with him trying to snooze half a foot away.

Casey stopped pondering when she came down and stared at the table. There was Brad, clearly drunk. Drinking had always been a bad habit of his, the coach had constantly given him hell for it but Brad could never seemed to shake it. Brad was always nice to Casey regardless of whether he was drunk or sober, yet Casey always preferred to see him sober.

“Hiya Cashey, what’s happenin’?”

“Time for bed Brad.”

“I’m not tired, cancha shee we’re having a partee? That little kidsch gonna be normal some day. A shrinkee made human aghain…… Ain’t that something? It that ain’t something to drink to I don’t know what ish.”

“Brad……”

“I wo’ ever be normal again tho. Nevher! I got nothing to live for. No one caresh for me anyway, I should jusht hop off this table right now.”

“That’s not true.” Casey said in a firm voice, “Though you’re acting like a damn idiot I care about you.” Casey was surprised she’d voiced her affection for him out loud but it was true.

Something had been rekindled in her; something she forgot had ever existed. Brad had only been with her for a day but in that short period of time…..

“Cashee, I…….. I know Cashee. You, you were alwaysh there for me weren’t ya kiddo? I, I owe you a lot. I wahnt you to havfe me.”

“What?”

Brad staggered towards a number of condiments that had been left out on the table. Dipping his hands into the mustard and ketchup he bathed himself in it as if it were soap. Casey didn’t try to stop him. Finally he went towards the last uneaten hotdog bun from dinner. Slowly he opened the doughy bun and slipped inside. Yesterday this sort of action would have made Casey jump for joy. She had had plans of using Brad than chowing down on him after he’d broken a bone or two or until she grew bored. But since then some of her older more buried feelings for the man had been reawoken. Brad was like family to her. Sure many people ate family but Brad was-

“Do it Cashee” Brad interrupted her thoughts, “Eat me up, leh me join my freindsh.”

Casey’s belly gurgled in agreement. Casey had learned there was no better meal than friends and she’d already flushed the remains of her dinner victim down the toilet, her stomach was ready for a new tenant. Brad’s delicious and well toned body would be a real pallet teaser for any meat lover, Casey couldn’t deny that.

“You don’t know what you’re saying, your drunk. You should just sleep it off.”

“Why should I listen to you? You’re not my mother, you’re more like my kid sister.”

And it was true, Brad was like her big brother. A big brother she cared for and didn’t want to see wind up a log of feces. Casey picked up the Brad dog. She gave him a big long sniff, he was drool enducing.

Here he was, offering himself up to her as a human hotdog. Casey knew she would cherish every calorie of fat and muscle. The person who had the biggest role in defining her life could very easily be reduced to a meal. But a meal Casey would remember forever.

“Come on, I boughtch you lotsa hotdoghs, why won’t you eat this one? They’re your favorite foohd righ?”

That was true enough. Brad would often by her a hotdog or a pretzel when he wasn’t up to bat. Casey would scarf them down in a heartbeat, but this was different. Casey was being offered a choice. Casey knew deep down that Brad wanted to live. The booze was just making him talk crazy. And not so deep down Casey knew she wanted him to live, by her side just like in the old days. The truth was Casey had a lot of sisterly love for him even if she didn’t fully realize it. But this would be the absolutely last chance she’d ever have to eat him. She’d promised she’d never rape him but she never mentioned eating him. Here he was, asking her to do it (though Casey knew he truly didn’t want to die inside of her). Casey knew that by not eating him she would end up being with him for a long long time. Maybe even the rest of his shrinkee life, taking care of him like Misty took care of Ash. Thinking of the great memories she had with him it wasn’t hard to imagine a world with her little big bro with her constantly. But that didn’t change the fact that it was a huge commitment and she knew wouldn’t have the nerve change her mind down the line. It was time to decide what their relationship would be once and for all.